San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-10-17

Collision and Possible Loss
of Life.
The train that was stopped near FL
PasO by robbers was brought in on
Sunday morning. Messenger Smith, the
hero who killed two robbers and saved
the train was not on the car, as he was
detained to give evidence in the cOro-
ner's inquest and his place was supplied
by Messenger Joyce. Mr.. Besrdsley,
cashier Of the Fort Worth office, who
was in the express car when attacked
was on the train. The door was blown
in, nearly all the glass was shattered
and there were several bullet holes in
the car showing that bullets had been
flying around in rather a dangerous
manner. From the train men, Mr..
Beardsley and .Others the following au-
thentic report of the robbery was re-
ceiyed. The train left the Ell PasO at
p. m on Friday night, Messenger j. K.
Smith was then acting Wells Fargo ex-
press messenger from Ell Psso to San
Antonio, Southern Pacific baggage
master between those points; and mail
route agent between Ell PasO and Del
Rio. After the train had been running
short time two mysterious men
made their sudden appearance on
the engine and ordered the
driver to stop; just then shot
was fired, but how, and under what cir
cumstanCes is not clear. Messenger
Smith heard the report, knew the train
WAS stopping, but thought ii was a fog
signal. Then two men proceeded to the
express car, and placing dynamite
against the car, blew open the door. At
that time Smith had blown out the
lights and the express car was in dark
ness. With Smith was the young man
named Beardsley. One rObbsr then
came to the door, and ordered
Smith out. Smith and Besrdley then
passed out, but in doing so. Smith left
his revolver in the jam of the car door.
On Smith and Beardsley allghting, the
man examined them carefully and find,
ing them unarmed, he appeared to be
satisfied. Now" said the robber, "get
in, light up, and give us those express
packages" Smith answered "all right"
and proceeded to climb into the express
car, and in so doing, he managed, unOb-
served, to recover his pistol. When he
got up in the car he saw the rObher
climbing up after him. Then Smith
said, damn YOU" threw down his re-
vOlver, and shot him. The robber
fell back, shot through the heart,
gave gurgling sound and
died instantly. At this time the other
robber, accompanied by the fireman,
who had been pressed into service, came
to the csr, and both picked up the body
of the dead rObber. At first he unbuckled
the dead's belt, that held two reVOlvers
and strapped them round his waist, then
both proceeded to take the dead TO the
engine. All this time Smith, who had
got his Winchester, was on the Qul vive
for the second man, but there was dam
ger in shooting for the fireman was so
mixed up with the robber, that it was
questionable which would have been
Killed. When at the engine the fireman
stepped aside to obey orders to put the
dead rObber on the train and cut her
loose. This was Smiths opportunity
and he aimed and fired. When the smoke
cleared away it showed that the robber
was hit and running away into an adj
Joining cedar brake. This was all there
was to the contest. The dead man was
picked up, and the train was backed TO
FL PasO. All this while, Beardsley who
as fired at by robbers, and ran into the
brush, was missing. " hen the
train, with an armed posse, came
back Beardsley appeared. He says that
after the train went he heard various
whistling signals, as if sOme men were
called together a hurried movement,
and then wagon was heard driving
hurriedly along the road. This was no
doubt part OF The robbers outfit, which
flew when the disastrous result of the
attack was known.
Deputy Sheriff Van Ripper and posse
- h. ,t,rN
by Smith. 1t was then about 80 yards
from the scene of the robbery. Only one
out of the ten buckshOt with which the
Wells Fargo cartridges are loaded, had
entered the body, and this shot passed
clear through the lung.
When Smith shot the first rObber, the
second rObber fired at him just missing
his head by a shade. Smith returned the
fire with his revolver. missed the rObber,
and narrowly missed the engineer. Az
ter that the engineer was conspicuous
by his absence.
Another piece of berOism was evolved
out of this incident which deserves
record. Brakeman Campbell was
at his post. and when he saw
what was occurring, he remembered
that the Texas and Pacific freight train
was following close behind. and that il
not stopped a collision would be the re-
suit. So alighting from the cars, he set
off at full speed. The robbers fired
twice at him, but he went on and sue
ceeded in stopping the freight train less
than half mile from the held-up train.
He was, then practically exhausted and
speeGhless, but for Campbell's presence
of mind and courage the freight train
would have rushed into the other train
and tnFrihln RafaEtrnnhn haUa
been the result.
A third man was undoubtedly visible,
for he was the man who fired at Camp
bell, but Smith never saw him, and who
and what he was is not known. There
is, however, no question but that he
was acting rs rear guard at the time.
The first man killed was j. S. Emer-
son, who had baggage check upon his
person. showing that he came from Ter
re Haute, Ind. The sum of $l45 was
also found upon him. He is
about % years old, 6 feet high,
weighs 10 pounds, has auburn
hair, and smooth face with the exception
of q stubby beard. He was fine athletic
fellow. The second man Bernard NJ.
Dohard. killed in saving his friend, had
memorandum book in which are buck
shot holes, part of the charge Smith
HIeu ~ Nun. W. rings were on his
| fingers, S4l.l0 in his pocket. He was APP
psrently about the same age IS the
other rObber. One of them was appa-
rently hard working man, and 1t is
supposed was an eX-railrOsd man. The
hands of the other led to the inference
that he was "crOok" and probably a
leader in the gang. There appears little
| doubt that both are northern men.
Messenger Smith is detained in Ell
Psso, and is the hero OF the day. On Sat-